Tuesday, October 26, 2010

I finished a rag rug I've been wanting to make for the longest time!And in the process I've figured out I'm a master of a couple of things.I'm a master at coming up with new ideas and new projects or just simply adding them to my ever increasing list of things I want to do...and I'm a master at never actually finishing too much because there is always something else or another new project to begin or dream about.Procrastination?Do you see that cute fatty of a white and green crochet hook up there? I think I purchased that three years ago. Three years! I blamed procrastinating on this project on waiting for just the right group of sheets to show up at the thrift shop. Well I think I'm going to reinforce that excuse right now because I'm kinda glad I did because this little rag rug is hopefully going to be kept by my girl for a long time for its sentimental value.You see when I was procrastinating the other week on working on my latest study assignment I picked up that fat lonely unused hook, walked straight to the linen cupboard with an idea popping in my head and grabbed Mia's cot sheets, kindergarten sheets and her first bed spread and began cutting. It felt a little wrong but I continued on.And there it is.Completed I tell you...completed! One rag rug crossed off my list and now living on her bedroom floor.I found her the morning after I completed it, after sliding it quietly into her room while she slept, curled up with wild bed hair on the floor lying across it. I think she likes it!And it goes quite nicely with her desk. Do you remember we started that thrifted project a little while ago too. It then sat for a while chair-less... waiting for just the right one that met Mama's approval. And it popped up during our latest trip to Pottsville in the form of my and my siblings study chair from our childhoods. A lick of white paint and it's just right... don't you think?It may take years in some cases but even after, and sometimes because of, a little procrastination things do get completed and turn out just right in the end.That's what I'm telling myself anyway as I sit here blogging instead of working on that assignment and finishing the painting of all our trims and doors that I started yesterday ( and has been waiting for probably close to three years too!)..... sigh.I think I might just wander down to Mia's room with my cup of tea first and admire her rug just one more time before I get back into it.

Monday, October 18, 2010

It's been a while between drinks, friends.My sweet sisters comments about not updating my blog in a while with some images and words for her to look at has found me motivated to be here again. "I haven't even blogged in ages" I almost moaned to her last week after commenting on just how long it's been since I gave the house a good clean and nosed down into my studies properly. Exactly what have I been doing lately? Other than mothering, working, updating work training, pondering and setting some new goals for myself that is!"Gee what's it been, almost two weeks?" I casually threw out there while we were out on a rare sister date on Friday night. (We went to see this by the way...)"The 1st of October!" she ever so quickly replied.The surprise must have registered on my face, so she explained her disappointment every time she clicked over here to see if I'd visited and the same date popped up in the post header.Friday, October 1, 2010.So it was. Call it shaken, nudged or inspired...whatever...but here I am and that's a good thing. I've missed this space of mine... as have others it seems. Love.

Happenings around my world have been varied but mostly marred by rain. An enormous amount of rain! Gratefully received of course...the earth has been rightly soaked and the dams have been releasing water with warnings of floods along the river as a result. Quite the turnaround from when we were watching that same dam receding without a raindrop in sight not too long ago! How the worm turns and how mother nature loves to remind us who's in control. I love that.But...I also do love the sunshine and the excitement that something we so take for granted can bring when it streams through the windows first thing in the morning after quite the long hiatus. Thanks to the last two days of glorious sun I have made some serious progress in the redesign of the back garden and have even been planting (and nursing a little case of sunburn today...how silly...yes sunburn!) Oh yes and as quickly as a single area had been slightly finished, or in some cases half finished I found myself there on hands and knees sowing seeds and transplanting seedlings straight down into it!My newly planted green babies include more papaya, roma tomatoes (now I know I can grow tomatoes!), pigeon pea, lettuce, coriander, basil, radish and a couple of things it's probably not the right time for like perennial leeks and broad beans...but ah I couldn't help myself. It's been so long.I've also planted a choko vine on the chicken coop for fruit and shade as during our blitz out the back a few trees have now departed, and some sugar cane setts by the cubby which we acquired by the side of the road. Sweet sugar cane...planted not before a few sections were stripped and chewed of course.We have also been joined by a raspberry bush and a loquat tree. Very exciting and very experimental...fingers crossed!

So amidst the mothering, working, training, pondering and goal setting, there have indeed been other things afoot. Between the rain, the sun, the digging and planting there has also been quite a bit of mulberry hunting and eating; bonding with a new *Charlotte* (we love our garden creatures here) and a new craft project for this Mama. I guess the fact the house hasn't been cleaned in so long is not such a bad thing.I'll take the sugar and sunshine over that any day.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Our little trip down to the farm began with a looming shape hidden under old sheets in Grandad's shed. With the little one's distracted it made it's way to the back lawn where it was introduced to the little *rocket boy* with hilarious shrieks of "no Mia no, it's dangerous!" as his sister ran to play in it.After a bit of convincing it wasn't a real rocket but just a toy it could not have become anything else but the very favourite thing in our days away. Though the *self* convincing on the toy factor continued with the sound of a little voice saying every now and then that indeed this fantastical rocket was just a toy. A toy of the very best wowser kind...made lovingly by Grandad over the last week from completely re purposed materials together with a seat inside, twist doorbell ignition, flip switches (sorry Grandad I don't know what they are really called) and a red doorknob stop button.It's coming home to land in our garden soon and Bam can't wait! Thank you Grandad!

And aside from all the trips to the moon and stars during our blissful time by the sea, we did manage to squeeze in a bit of wandering, cow gazing, beach combing, swimming, enormous carrot harvesting (and eating!), and magpie dodging too. We are much refreshed and stretched and our lungs and souls are full to the brim.

With work finished for this Mama 'til next week we now get to enjoy every minute left of our school holidays complete with a fun visit here yesterday for some great felting activities, delicious lunch and chatting. We are so grateful for a real connection with a fellow blogger and family...and she is indeed as beautiful and creative as her blog inside and out. Thank you Melissa... I will become a fellow felter in no time I'm sure.Right now we are off to prepare for our last two full days in the garden...digging, planting, creating, egg hunting and getting very very dirty. Bliss.

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society, where none intrudes, By the deep sea, and music in its roar: I love not man the less, but Nature more.... Lord Byron